Inflation Calculator | CalcFusionHub

Uses official US CPI-U annual averages (1913–2024) to convert an amount between any two years.

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Everyday Uses

Understanding your grocery bill

See why $100 of groceries in 2015 costs so much more today — and put a number on the change.

What a pension will actually buy

Check what your pension or savings will actually buy in 20 years, not just its dollar figure.

Salary negotiations

If your pay hasn't kept up with inflation, calculate the raise needed just to break even.

Historical comparisons

Translate old prices — your parents' first house, a 1990 movie ticket — into today's money.

Your basket is not the official basket

Headline inflation averages a national basket of goods. If you rent, drive long distances or heat a large home, your personal rate can sit a long way from the published figure.

Making historical figures mean something

Converting a 1975 salary, house price or ticket cost into today's money is the only way those numbers carry any meaning in conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is inflation and how is it measured?

Inflation is the general rise in prices over time, causing money's purchasing power to fall. It is most commonly measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — a basket of typical goods and services tracked monthly. The US Federal Reserve and Bank of England target 2% annual inflation as optimal for economic stability. Actual US CPI peaked at 9.1% in June 2022 and has since fallen back toward 3%.

How does the CPI inflation calculator work?

Inflation-adjusted value = Original amount × (CPI in end period ÷ CPI in start period). Example: $1,000 in 2000 (CPI 172.2) is equivalent to $1,000 × (314.2 ÷ 172.2) = $1,825 in 2024. This means $1,000 in 2000 has the same purchasing power as $1,825 today — prices rose 82.5% over that period.

What is the difference between CPI and RPI?

CPI (Consumer Price Index) excludes housing costs and is the UK's official inflation target measure. RPI (Retail Price Index) includes mortgage interest payments and historically runs 0.5–1% higher than CPI. The UK government uses CPI for most inflation-linked benefits and state pension increases, but uses RPI for student loan interest and some gilts (government bonds).

How does inflation affect savings and wages?

If your savings earn 2% APY but inflation is 4%, your real return is −2% — your purchasing power shrinks even though the balance grows. The "real interest rate" = Nominal rate − Inflation rate. To protect savings, keep liquid emergency funds in high-yield accounts or I-bonds. For wages: real wage growth = salary increase % minus inflation %. A 3% raise during 5% inflation is effectively a 2% pay cut.

What causes high inflation and how is it controlled?

Inflation is caused by demand-pull (too much money chasing too few goods), cost-push (rising production costs like oil or wages), and monetary expansion (excessive money printing). Central banks control inflation primarily by raising interest rates, which increases borrowing costs and reduces consumer and business spending. The 2021–2023 inflation surge was driven by supply chain disruptions, energy prices, and pandemic stimulus spending.